Various herbs and spices have been used for thousands of years to restore balance to these elements, which is how Chinese five spice powder came into being, forming an iconic flavor profile of Chinese cuisine. Today it’s used in a variety of roasted, stewed, and braised meat dishes, but it’s probably most recognizable in the West as the main seasoning in Char Siu (Chinese barbecued pork).
The Spices
I’ve been thinking about making my own Chinese five spice powder for some time, but the catalyst that got things going was receiving a gift of Vietnamese Cinnamon. It’s incredibly fragrant, sweet, and spicy and, unlike the more common Ceylon cinnamon, it’s from the bark of a different species of Cassia tree. The flavor is more complex, giving this Chinese five spice powder more depth of flavor, but you can substitute other types if you like. I’ve seen blends containing many common spices, from fennel to celery seed to black peppercorns, but I had a specific flavor profile in mind and went about toasting and grinding different spice mixes until I hit the right balance. The resulting mix of tastes is complex, heady, and familiar, a fragrant blend that gets your mouth salivating in anticipation of this iconic Chinese flavor combination. Most of the ingredients in this Chinese five spice blend, like cinnamon and cloves, are widely available and familiar to Western chefs. Szechuan pepper is a little less common ingredient, but it is essential in this Chinese five spice powder. Despite its name it actually has no relation to black pepper or chili peppers. Both the leaves and berries are edible, and it’s popular in Asia, known by many different names. In China it’s known as Huajiao, in in Nepalese it’s called Timur and in Japan there’s a related plant called Sansho. Sichuan peppercorns have a slightly citrusy, pine-like flavor that has a tingly numbing effect on your tongue when eaten fresh or in larger doses; very distinctive of Szechuan cuisine. When dried, the shiny black seeds inside the brown husks have a distinctly gritty sand-like texture, and since the husk is the part with the flavor; you must pick out all the black seeds (labor intensive, but worth it). More expensive Szechuan pepper tends to have fewer seeds and unopened pods.
How to Make Chinese Five Spice Powder
Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients, you want to toast them to bring out their intense flavors. You can achieve this in a pan on the stovetop or in a toaster oven. Be careful not to burn them; when your kitchen starts to fill with the fragrance of aromatic spices, remove them from the heat. Once they’ve cooled a bit, add them to a coffee grinder, spice grinder, or food processor and pulverize them to a fine powder. There may be some larger pieces left in the spice mixture, so you want to pass it through a fine mesh sieve to eliminate them. This Chinese five spice powder is now ready to use in your favorite recipes. Storing it in an airtight container like an airtight spice jar will keep it fresh for months on the shelf. It probably won’t last that long, though; you’re certain to find new uses for this classic Chinese spice blend now that you’ve made your own.
How to Use Five Spice Powder
Once you’ve tried this homemade Chinese Five-Spice Powder in the marinade for Char Siu Pork, as a spice rub in Siu Yuk, or as a seasoning for Spicy Wontons in Chili Oil, you’ll never want to use store-bought Chinese five spice again. And you’re sure to come up with all kinds of ways to use these flavorful spices beyond Chinese food, like sprinkling it on roasted chicken or adding it to fried rice or chow mein.
📖 Recipe
